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Forum Discussion
Why do shared files count against my space use???
Why are files shared with me counted against my space usage? Is this data counted twice? If someone who is sharing files with me is paying for this space, why should I have to pay as well just to access it? I am out of space, I have no intention of buying more space, and yet, when someone shares some files with me, I cannot access them and I am forced to buy space in order to access them. Why is this?
Thank you.
dualice wrote:
Why are files shared with me counted against my space usage?
Because the files exist in your account.
When you have access to a shared folder, you're not accessing someone else's folder. You're accessing your own COPY of the folder within your account, and you need to have enough space available to hold that folder.
If you just need to view or download files that someone else is sharing with you, ask them to send you a shared link instead. A shared link is a view-only method of sharing and you don't even need a Dropbox account to access it.
- I have a Basic plan. I’ve uploaded nothing, am retired, and only use it 4-5 times a year to download from a shared folder violin music scores for concert rehearsals. The orchestra manages the shared folders. There was one with lots of photos. My account is telling me I’m over capacity, but I’ve always deleted what I downloaded to print. I’m not paying &12/month for this minimal use. I’m clearly not in the know. Can any one tell me what to do?
- Rich
Super User II
Katherinemillle wrote:
I have a Basic plan. I’ve uploaded nothing ... and only use it ... to download from a shared folder ... My account is telling me I’m over capacityIf you're a member of a shared folder, the content of that folder takes space in your account.
If you only need download access, ask the owner of the folder to send you a view-only shared link instead.
- Thank you so much for this suggestion. I’ll ask the orchestra manager and see if that was the cause!
I want to share a large folder temporarily with a contractor, in order for her to do a trial project for us. She states she cannot access the shared folder due to storage. I am not familiar enough with Dropbox's storage use to know if this is an issue when she goes to open online or if she can free up her storage on her synced desktop and thus allow this shared folder to be opened. Perhaps it doesn't matter - if the folder causes her storage to exceed online and has nothing to do with her storage on her computer?
Just view/download I believe. But also capability to save new items to the folder.
I have a client that wants me to upload files to their box, not my box, their box.
Drop says I need to pay for more storage to upload to their box.
Why?I solved the issue with google drive, but can someone explain why I need to pay to upload to someone's box, not mine.
- Rich
A_Temp_202 wrote:
I have a client that wants me to upload files to their box, not my box, their box. Drop says I need to pay for more storage to upload to their box. Why?
You're not uploading to their Dropbox. You're uploading to a shared folder in your account, which syncs with a folder in their account. You need to have enough space in your account for anything that you have stored in it.
If you don't need to access the files after you upload them, the recipient can send you a File Request instead, which allows you to upload directly to their account without affecting your own (you don't even need an account).
Exactly how it sounds... Is this the dropbox scam?
Someone is already paying for the storage, and dropbox is double dipping and getting me to buy it too?
I highly doubt dropbox is duplicating the files.
- Rich
KeeganMillar wrote:
Someone is already paying for the storage, and dropbox is double dipping and getting me to buy it too?
The files exist in your account so they take up space in your account. It's also meant to prevent people from stacking accounts for unlimited space.
The other main file storage platforms manage to do the exact same without conning their clients - One Drive, Google, iCloud.
- Jay
Dropbox Staff
Hi KeeganMillar, I've merged you to this thread with users that have similar questions.
This post should help clarify regarding shared quota.
A paid dropbox account has shared their data with me by sending me a link. This is my first dropbox account at this email address. I cannot see the data without upgrading from my free account to a paid account?
I just need read-only access to their data.
What am I doing wrong?
- Rich
truenet-lhathcock wrote:
A paid dropbox account has shared their data with me by sending me a link. ... I cannot see the data without upgrading from my free account to a paid account?
It sounds like you were sent an invitation to a shared folder, which requires you to have enough available space because you'll have your own copy of the folder in your account. If you only need to view the files, ask them to sent you a view-only shared link instead. You'll be able to view and/or download the files whether you have an account or not.
My client is trying to share files with me and my dropbox is telling me I need to pay to upgrade so I can accommodate their LARGE file system. (I've read through earlier threads here and double-charging for people to access the same information is, unbelievably, the DB business model) Nevertheless, I need to access these files so it appears I'll have to pay extra. My question is this: these are SHARED files...we both make changes and edits to the documents and spreadsheets throughout the project. If these are separate COPIES (as pointed out in earlier answers) how do they sync? Do the edits appear on both or our COPIES on each of our accounts? Or do we have to re-upload or reshare somehow after each edit? Thanks!
- Jay
Hi truenet-lhathcock, I've merged your to this thread to keep similar queries together.
Please could you check the solution at the top for an answer to your query.
I stored 3.5GB mp4 video in shared folder but when my daughter tried to download file, dropbox said she has to pay to increase her storage on dropbox. I don't understand this. I thought she should be able to download the shared file to anywhere she wants to such as PC or iphone??
- Rich
mtreeves1968 wrote:
I stored 3.5GB mp4 video in shared folder but when my daughter tried to download file, dropbox said she has to pay to increase her storage on dropbox. I don't understand this. I thought she should be able to download the shared file to anywhere she wants to such as PC or iphone??
If you sent her a shared link and she's just downloading it, she doesn't even need an account. If she's trying to save it to her Dropbox, or if you invited her to a shared folder instead, she needs an account and she needs to have enough available space in her account to hold the folder that she's trying to save to her account.
Hey, since someone already paid for the data parking space, why should I pay for the same folder space too? This is just a straight rip-off. Not happy at all.
I am trying to share a folder with someone so that they can securely share documents with me but they keep getting the notice 'you are over your 2GB allowance' and then giving the option to pay to upgrade.
The other user does not use dropbox personally so has nothing in their account and I have tried to create a shared folder on 2 different dropbox accounts with the same result. The first account is using around 15% of the 2Tb limit, and the other has 20mb used of a 2Gb limit.
My understanding is that even if the other user was using dropbox as the shared folder sits on my dropbox account it counts towards my limit and not the other persons.
I have shared folders with many other people without this issue so that they can securely provide files to me (mainly pdf files of business related paperwork) without this issue.
I believe that this user is trying to populate the shared folder on their phone from the app rather than logging in on a laptop via the web browser?
Any help greatly appreciated!!
- Rich
JamesK1981 wrote:
My understanding is that even if the other user was using dropbox as the shared folder sits on my dropbox account it counts towards my limit and not the other persons.
That's not correct. As they receive a copy of the folder in their account, it takes up space in their account. They need to have enough available space in their account to hold the folder and anything added to it.
https://help.dropbox.com/storage-space/storage-space
I have shared folders with many other people without this issue ...Then those people have accounts with enough space available for the shared folder.
I believe that this user is trying to populate the shared folder on their phone from the app rather than logging in on a laptop via the web browser?How they are populating the folder wouldn't matter. The limit is based on their account, not the method used.
If you only need them to send files to you, and they won't have a need to access those files after they send them, consider using a File Request instead. The sender doesn't even need a Dropbox account.
Considering that this shared folder is their only use of dropbox and only contains 2mb of data it is hard to see how the 2gb limit has been exceeded
Hello
I'll try to keep this simple
I have a personal account - Account A
In the past I have access to another account Account B
and I'm working on a freelance job now which allows me access to their Dropbox Account C
Account A is very under my 2GB free limit - but tells me it is over capacity due to Account C (see below)
Account B I no longer need access to - and have asked for the refund of the ££ that was charged for the upgrade of capacity
My problem is Account C. It is a massive project folder with layers of files - and I am being told that I need to upgrade in order to sync with it and continue to upload documentation. But I'm a visitor to this folder - I didn't set it up - I am not the Admin on it - so why do I need to pay almost £100 for the access? There are several people in my team that this will affect - and some can't afford to pay this.
I've been in touch with Dropbox admin and, whilst they dealt with the refund, ignored the above.
How is this solved?
Thank you for your help
- Rich
HonestGhost wrote:
But I'm a visitor to this folder - I didn't set it up - I am not the Admin on it - so why do I need to pay almost £100 for the access?
You've been invited to join a shared folder. When you join the folder it will exist in your account and anything in your account takes up space.
If you only need view access to the folder and won't need to edit anything within it, ask the owner to send you a view-only shared link instead.
So we will all need to pay for the upgrade - 😞
Thank you for responding
Mary
My son has 3T of space on his drop box. I have just the free dropbox. I often have files that he needs..... he has added me as a user but I can't get them to sync as it says I am out of space. Any thoughts? We don't need a business dropbox as there is just the 2 of us and I rarely use it.
- Rich
lummisharon wrote:
he has added me as a user but I can't get them to sync as it says I am out of space.
He can't add you as a user to his account. What he's likely done is invite you to a shared folder. While you're able to upload and edit files in the shared folder, you're still limited to the amount of space available in your account.
If you don't need to access the files after you upload them, ask your son to send you a File Request instead.
